IDUKKI

Idukki (ഇടുക്കി), is a district in the Indian state of Kerala.It was constituted on 26 January 1972, by splitting the district of Kottayam into two parts. Its division was previously headquartered at Kottayam city, but moved to Kuyilimala near Painavu and Cheruthoni in June 1976. Idukki district lies amid the Cardamom Hills of Western Ghats in Kerala. Though it is the second-largest district in the region in terms of area, it has the lowest population density among the districts of Kerala. The urban population is higher than the rural population. Idukki is rich in forests and thus is also known as the "Spice Garden of Kerala". Until 1998, when Kuttampuzha was added to Ernakulam district, Idukki was the largest district in Kerala.

The Idukki district forms a high altitude plateau with rugged mountainous terrain, several river valleys and deep gorges.The entire northern part of the district forms a sub plateua higher than the rest of the district, this region includes the tallest peaks like Anamudi and includes the areas around Munnar, Pallivasal, Kanthalloor, Vattavada and Mankulam. The Pambar river valley (Marayoor, Keezhanthoor) forms an eastern sloping rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. The eastern frontier of the district (Kumily, Kattapana, Nedumkandam, Rajakumari and Ramakkalmedu) constitutes the Cardamon hills. The western part of the district is covered by forests and hills bordering the eastern regions of Ernakulam and Kottayam district like Neriyamangalam, Vannapuram, Thommankuthu, Moolamattom, Vagamon and Kuttikanam.